Lanceola clausi subsp. pirloti

Lanceola clausi pirloti (Shoemaker)

(Fig. 9)

Lanceola pirloti Shoemaker, 1945: 212, figs 19, 20. Shih & Chen 1995: 32–34,fig. 16.

Lanceola clausi pirloti Vinogradov 1960a: 207; 1964: 112. Vinogradov et al. 1982: 70–71, fig. 17.

Type material. Shoemaker (1945) described his species form six specimens collected near Bermuda at depths between 700 and 1000 fathoms. The USNM has three syntypes; two males (109467 & 9) and one female (109468). The whereabouts of the other three specimens is unknown.

Material examined. Types. Syntype female (USNM 109468) and two syntype males (USNM 109467 & 9) from the North Atlantic, near Bermuda [32º12’N 64º36’W]; William Beebe Oceanographic Expedition, 13 Jul. 1929 and 7 & 29 Sept. 1930 respectively: in spirit.

Other material examined. Central South Pacific: Female (ZMUC CRU-9920); S. of Tahiti [18º49’S 153º10’W]; Dana Stn. 3577 VII, 4000 mw, 19 Oct. 1928. Male (ZMUC); N. of New Zealand [28º17.6’S 177º01’E]; Dana Stn. 3624 III, 3000 mw, 10 Dec. 1928.

Diagnosis. Like typical form except for the following. Length of sexually mature specimens 12–16 mm. Antennae 2 are relatively shorter, often subequal in length to A1. Gnathopoda and P3 & 4 have more robust articles. Gnathopod 1; basis especially broad with distinct anterior bulge. Pereopods 3 & 4 with shorter and wider merus, also propodus is shorter than carpus. Pereopods 5 & 6 are relatively longer. Pereopods 6 & 7 with relatively longer propodus.

Remarks. Described as a species distinct from L. clausi by Shoemaker (1945), the above differences are sometimes intermediate between L. clausi and L. pirloti. Thus, I concur with Vinogradov et al. (1982) in that L. pirloti should be considered a subspecies of the highly variable L. clausi.

Distribution. This subspecies has been recorded from the North Atlantic, near Bermuda [32º12’N 54º36’W] by Shoemaker (1945); the North-west Pacific, south of Japan by Vinogradov (1960a) and from the South China Sea by Shih and Chen (1995) and the Indian Ocean [01º59.1’S 86º41.4’E and 26º45.7’S 108º18.6É] by Vinogradov (1964). The Dana specimens are the first records from the central South Pacific.